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This one of the half-dozen or so little books that Ballantyne wrote for young children. Many of these, and certainly the earlier ones, were written under the pseudonym of Comus, but this one went out under his own name, perhaps because by the time it was published in 1874 his own name had become much more celebrated than that of his pseudonym.

It was written for very young children, and very amusing they must have found it, with its characters being the little insects and small mammals of the fields and woods, who assemble together for a feast. Naturally they must have become vegetarian for the day! Anyway, they put away their warring instincts, and had a good time together, though one or two incidents caused by the over exuberant during the dancing, threatened to cause serious mishaps, though all were avoided.

It's a tiny book, perhaps a twentieth of the size of one of Ballantyne's novels for older children, but it is certainly fun.

First published 1874.

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